It seems that every time I purchase some special food item for my daughter, her husband or brother pig out and she's left with an empty plate. So, I puchased some fresh shitake mushrooms and invited just her over for dinner last night. We bounced around ideas for ingredients that would go with the mushrooms. We settled on sea food.

Now you have to understand. My eldest daughter is a lot like me. She's always trying to find something new and interesting to cook and eat. So, we were shopping at our local supermarket and saw sword fish and mahi tuna. We decided to use those. And as my wife isn't crazy about fish, we got deveigned, shell-on shrimp for her. We picked up some shallots and veggies and other ingredients for kabobs.

When all was said and done, last nights dinner for three cost me in excess of a hundred bucks. I had figured maybe 30 to 40. My eldest child (about 28 years old) loved it. The grill did its job perfectly with the fish just cooked through, and very juicy. Only a touch of salt and a coating of olive oil was used to season the fish, and the shrimp.

The reason I'm posting this is not to complain about the price of seafood, but rather to exclaim that both the swordfish and the mahi tuna were so completely different than any other fish I've grilled on the Webber. They picked up a gentle, smoky flavor from the charcoal that didn't hide the natural flavor at all. The texture was outstanding, and the flavor was extraordinary. I could eat this stuff daily and never tire of it.

Now you have to understand that prior to last night, I believed there was no fish better than good, wild brook trout from the streams emptying into Lake Superior. I still go nuts over it. But the both the swordfish and the mahi tuna are every bit as good, and maybe, just maybe, better. Makes me wish I lived on the coast, where fish can be had much cheaper. I highly recomend these two fish species. But, remember, especially about the swordfish. heavy-metal contamination (methyl mercury) forces us to limit our intake severley. I guess that's a good thing, or I'd go broke in a hurry.

gw, did you have ahi tuna, or mahi mahi, of the dolphin family? just curious.

i agree that swordfish is a special fish. grilled is excellent.
i've been trying to duplicate a swordfish dish that i had a while ago in a restaurant. it was a nice, thick grilled swordfish steak in a light, herby tomato sauce. as you've mentioned, the flavor and texture of the fish was not dampened by the preparation, but were perfect partners.

as far as ahi goes, i prefer it raw. if not raw, then slightly seared and coated in black and white sesame seeds, with a nice soy/ginger/wasabi dipping sauce.

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The next time someone asks what you did this past weekend, squint really hard and say, "Why, what did you hear?"

Yup, I meant ahi tuna. Just goes to show ya that I'm so much more familiar with fresh water rather than the ocean. And that's strange as I think about it, considering the time I spent on aircraft carriers. But then again, we wern't out there to go fishing and try the seafood.

I'm not sure that these were sushi grade as they were frozen and wen't labled as such.l But I would love to try fresh ahi tuna, cooked just the way BT described. I think they might be very good coatd with lemon pepper and black pepper as well.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

__________________“No amount of success outside the home can compensate for failure within the home…"

I agree, a perfectly-grilled med rare to medium tuna steak, seasoned with salt and pepper, is a truely wonderful thing. So is a med rare to medium blackened tuna steak (I know, I keep repeating this, but it's true). Also, seasoned with salt and pepper, crusted with white and black sesame seeds, pan-seared to med rare, with a wasabi cream sauce.

Swordfish and tuna both grill beautifully. And yes, now that you've started to experiement with seafood chances are you won't stop. At the resto we get fresh fish flown in as we need it, almost always whole, and very fresh. Chef has got me hooked on the versatility and beautiful flavors fish can offer. I've been going nuts lately with fish dishes. Halibut, shark, various shellfish, you name it. I'm currently trying to find a way to get myself some good whole fish flown to me here in landlocked southern indiana, but the prices are just astronomical sometimes.

Swordfish and tuna both grill beautifully. And yes, now that you've started to experiement with seafood chances are you won't stop. At the resto we get fresh fish flown in as we need it, almost always whole, and very fresh. Chef has got me hooked on the versatility and beautiful flavors fish can offer. I've been going nuts lately with fish dishes. Halibut, shark, various shellfish, you name it. I'm currently trying to find a way to get myself some good whole fish flown to me here in landlocked southern indiana, but the prices are just astronomical sometimes.

That's my problem as well. The prices are sky-high. But for a special occasion, I can justify the cost. But now, things have become complecated; barbecued ahi-tuna, barbecued swordfish, barbecued turkey, barbecued standing rib roast, pork crown roast, great spare ribs, bone-in rib eyes, barbecued ham, barbecued lamb, etc., hmmmm, which one do I want to cook now? There are so many amazing meals to cook, and such a short life to cook them in.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

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__________________“No amount of success outside the home can compensate for failure within the home…"